Vararam Quality

[IndeedSS1]

Originally Posted by cmacclel

In order for me to even start the bolts as it was I had to almost push down with all my weight to even see the thread hole in the firewall. There is not way I could have fit "L" brackets as you did.





Yes


Mac

You are right about the bolts but no one uses them because they are not needed and ugly. The MAF housing yeah it needs work and most of us probably did the same as you. Here is mine.

[cmacclel]

Originally Posted by MarylandSpeed

The best bet for this one is to wait till Steve gets back from GM Nationals early next week, and he will either replace it with a better inspected unit, or refund it under their satisfaction promise. Once it has been installed it does become an issue that Vararam handles. This has been something I have brought up to them a lot over the years. Every car we sell a Vararam for, it is the best performing intake out there, but the quality is never also top level. I would say we get one return a month of all the cars we sell parts for where someone simply gets it and says "I am not putting that on my car". if you end up returning it to them, we can just use the credit to get you a CAI.

I have the Vararam on my car, and it performs great (see the thread). I do not recall any of the issues posted here..except the barb..which I also do not like.

So now I have to get a refund from Vararam? I'm not getting a warm fuzzy feeling about this whole situation. The retailer should take the unit back and then deal with their supplier (Vararam)

Mac

[cmacclel]

Originally Posted by LC

You are not alone...









Sent a mail to vararam about it.. never heard back...

When did you sent the E-Mail?

Mine was cut on what appears to be a Band-Saw and it was cut crooked as hell to boot. (Look at post 1 first picture)

Mac

[2SSRS@Gen5diy]

Originally Posted by IndeedSS1

You are right about the bolts but no one uses them because they are not needed and ugly. The MAF housing yeah it needs work and most of us probably did the same as you. Here is mine.

I got the ones from "The_Stache" this is nice.

[BackinBlackSS/RS]

Those do look nice Ofer.

[sales@vararam.com]

Originally Posted by cmacclel

So now I have to get a refund from Vararam? I'm not getting a warm fuzzy feeling about this whole situation. The retailer should take the unit back and then deal with their supplier (Vararam)

Mac

Call me next Tuesday when I return to Houston from Carlisle and we will resolve your issue to your complete satisfaction!!!
Steve
Vararam Industries
Sorry you had these issues and I have brought them to the attention of production and thank you for informing us !

[Camarowguy]

So let's get this straight. You buy Vararam from a retailer. You take it out the box. Inspect it. Looks like crap. You finish the job that Vararam should have finished before sending it out. Then you install it on you car to find out the fitment is crappy just like the finish quality....and then the retailer wants you to send it back to Vararam? Makes since...retailer got your money and that's all that counts. Not getting them a replacement from Vararam? That's some great customer service right there.

[cmacclel]

Originally Posted by Camarowguy

So let's get this straight. You buy Vararam from a retailer. You take it out the box. Inspect it. Looks like crap. You finish the job that Vararam should have finished before sending it out. Then you install it on you car to find out the fitment is crappy just like the finish quality....and then the retailer wants you to send it back to Vararam? Makes since...retailer got your money and that's all that counts. Not getting them a replacement from Vararam? That's some great customer service right there.

I'm glad that Vararam stepped up in this thread but I really at this point have no interest in obtaining another Vararam intake and just want a refund. I also 100% agree with you. You buy from a retailer so the retailer should handle the return and deal with the MFG themselves. It's not like $400 grows on tree's these days

Mac

[Camarowguy]

Originally Posted by sales@vararam.com

Call me next Tuesday when I return to Houston from Carlisle and we will resolve your issue to your complete satisfaction!!!
Steve
Vararam Industries
Sorry you had these issues and I have brought them to the attention of production and thank you for informing us !

I like the way your intake performs....but for the price of it, it should be finished a little better...wait I was being nice...it should be finished alot better. I don't know what your supposed to use for screws to hold the maf in, but mine didn't come with any to fit and the factory screws didn't fit either. As a matter if fact, when I tried to screw the factory ones in, the "insert" that looked to be partially threaded...fell out. Nice. So now I have my car apart at work, have an appointment to get it tuned and now I can't screw the maf sensor in. So I bought some threaded inserts from grainger. Maybe that's what you should use cause they work alot better. Then the contraption with the long bolts and stuff. I've seen my 11 year old kid rig up stuff better than that. $400 for an intake that could/should be alot better.

[MarylandSpeed]

Originally Posted by cmacclel

So now I have to get a refund from Vararam? I'm not getting a warm fuzzy feeling about this whole situation. The retailer should take the unit back and then deal with their supplier (Vararam)

Mac

I love trying to provide customer service on the forums. I said the part has to go back to Vararam because the part is defective. Vararam has told me repeatedly to send any warranty issues direct to them because of their 100% satisfaction gaurentee and they will handle it. The customer is not being left out to dry..he will get his CAI or whatever.

That stated, lets discuss a few topics here. Most important, if there is an issue with a product, it is best to contact us first, so we can work to remedy the situation. In this case, you received an intake you did not like and obviously has some QC issues. Rather than contacting us to address the situation, you posted here..then decided to clean it up yourself and install it. After installing, or attempting to install, you decided you did not like it..and then finally contacted us asking for a return. Had contacted up front, we would have told you immediatly to put it back in the box and lets get with Vararam to get you one you will have a better experiance installing or exhange it.

I am going to be straight up with you will get an intake you are happy with..be it Vararam, or CAI. That being said, no matter what you buy it is never a good idea to install or try and clean up a product you do not think is up to standards. It just makes the situation more complicated. Kinda like whipping out your lighter on an undercooked steak at a restaurant.

All that being said, You received a part that is defective..and also has been installed, so it is handled under the manufacturers warranty. Vararam has one of the best warranties out there in that it is a 100% satisfaction warranty. If you are not happy, they will pick the part up, and send you a new one, or give me full credit. However as with any warranty, we have to go through them to approve the claim and get it picked up, which is why I need to talk to Steve. They are the one providing the defective product, so they will bear the costs of fixing it. Part of me also wants you to have contact with them to drive home the idea that they need to up their QC. Direct customer feedback always works best with manufactuers.

[MarylandSpeed]

Also to clarify what I said before...When I said get with Steve..I meant that I would get him in touch with you to set up the refund/exchange. They pick the part up, it goes back direct to Vararam, and they give us back credit we refund, or use to buy another product. This is how they ask us to handle any warranty related issues. As stated however, I do like for them to have contact with customers that are unsatisfied with their products.

[cmacclel]

Originally Posted by MarylandSpeed

I love trying to provide customer service on the forums with a bunch of comments from the peanut gallery. I said the part has to go back to Vararam because the part is defective. Vararam has told me repeatedly to send any warranty issues direct to them because of their 100% satisfaction gaurentee and they will handle it. The customer is not being left out to dry..he will get his CAI or whatever.

That stated, lets discuss a few topics here. Most important, if there is an issue with a product, it is best to contact us first, so we can work to remedy the situation. In this case, you received an intake you did not like and obviously has some QC issues. Rather than contacting us to address the situation, you posted here..then decided to clean it up yourself and install it. After installing, or attempting to install, you decided you did not like it..and then finally contacted us asking for a return. Had contacted up front, we would have told you immediatly to put it back in the box and lets get with Vararam to get you one you will have a better experiance installing or exhange it.

I am going to be straight up with you will get an intake you are happy with..be it Vararam, or CAI. That being said, no matter what you buy it is never a good idea to install or try and clean up a product you do not think is up to standards. It just makes the situation more complicated. Kinda like whipping out your lighter on an undercooked steak at a restaurant.

All that being said, You received a part that is defective..and also has been installed, so it is handled under the manufacturers warranty. Vararam has one of the best warranties out there in that it is a 100% satisfaction warranty. If you are not happy, they will pick the part up, and send you a new one, or give me full credit. However as with any warranty, we have to go through them to approve the claim and get it picked up, which is why I need to talk to Steve. They are the one providing the defective product, so they will bear the costs of fixing it. Part of me also wants you to have contact with them to drive home the idea that they need to up their QC. Direct customer feedback always works best with manufactuers.

I understand what your saying and it normally would make sense. If everyone here didn't chime in and state what I received was not defective it's "just the way they are" then I never would have deburred the product as it should have arrived. You also stated you did not have the product that I now want so no what I have to wait weeks before you get them in stock? Sucks no matter which way you look at it. You said to me on the the phone for if any reason you do not like the intake Vararam offers 100% satusfaction gaurantee which means you install it and if you don't like it........you can return it no problem yet know you stating like I did something wrong for removing burrs that never should have been there in the first place.

I guess now I waite for next Tuesday and have to shell out another $400 for another intake and then waite for a refund for the Vararam:(

Mac

[mikeSS]

Originally Posted by cmacclel

I understand what your saying and it normally would make sense. If everyone here didn't chime in and state what I received was not defective it's "just the way they are" then I never would have deburred the product as it should have arrived. You also stated you did not have the product that I now want so no what I have to wait weeks before you get them in stock? Sucks no matter which way you look at it. You said to me on the the phone for if any reason you do not like the intake Vararam offers 100% satusfaction gaurantee which means you install it and if you don't like it........you can return it no problem yet know you stating like I did something wrong for removing burrs that never should have been there in the first place.

I guess now I waite for next Tuesday and have to shell out another $400 for another intake and then waite for a refund for the Vararam:(

Mac

dont worry you have forums to back you up

[2SSRS@Gen5diy]

Originally Posted by cmacclel

Well I do want performance so I spent about an hour making the Vararam as it should have been received. One thing I didn't know was the MAF sensor would not even fit into the hole so that had to be trimmed, not to mention the big blob of glue that was on one of the edges if not fixed would have surely caused a leak.

The we come down to fit........The unit I have did not fit worth shit. The rubber that was supposed to secure the radiator barely touched the radiator and all of the downward pressure was on the edge of the aluminum condensor...........very poor in my opinion. I spent an hour trying to position the Vararam with no luck. Also the unit is slightly too wide as with one of the long screws in place the other side no matter what I did was cocked and would not screw in straight. At this point I gave up and everything went back into the box.

I recived a PM from Vararam and tried calling them a few times this afternoon and left a message but they never got back to me.

I guess I'll have to settle for the CAI. :(

More pictures.....




Almost all of the downward pressure was on the edge of the AC condensor




Right side = Straight bolt



Left side = Cocked

I have a vararam on my car and as you said it sits on the AC condenser, so what its sat there for over 54,000 mi and as for the bolts to hold the radiator in place till this week i did not run any thing to hold it in place i am on my 3 vararam this one is a tune model and i love it, it performs like no other intake, and its the 5th intake on my car let me say the other 2 intakes lasted less then 4 hr on the car and if it was up to me the 2 intakes will never be on my car, Thanks Steve and patrick for a great intake.


Now can you get patrick to make the manifold we need it .